MDC-T sets final candidates list compilation deadline

THE opposition MDC-T has set May 12 as the deadline for compilation of its final candidates’ list ahead of this year’s harmonised elections.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

The party’s aspiring national assembly candidates will be meeting in Harare today before provincial assembly meetings that have been slated for Saturday and Sunday to update the aspiring councillors.

In an interview yesterday, the party’s acting chairman Morgen Komichi said a roadmap to candidate selection had been finalised and they were ready to take their aspiring candidates through the paces.

“We have completed receiving the official list of candidates from the provinces and our national electorate has met three times to look at the list and we have finished that,” he said.

“As we speak, yesterday, we reported the list of candidates to the executive today for their endorsement. On Friday, we are having a meeting with all aspiring candidates for National Assembly.

“We are going to address them and on Saturday and Sunday, leadership is going to the provinces to address provincial assemblies where all aspiring councillors are going to be addressed on the outcome of the national council decision,” he said.

Komichi said the party would encourage consensus among the candidates, but if that fails, they would then go for primaries.

The acting chairperson said there would be no imposition of candidates.

“If one candidate agrees to withdraw from the race, he or she will sign a letter of admission that they were not forced, but withdrew voluntarily. From Monday to the 12th of May, we would have finished both consensus process and the primary elections,” Komichi said.

“This is our roadmap and we are committed on that. We are going to respect the wishes of the people on the ground and no candidate will be imposed. The most popular candidate will represent the party.”